


Concentrate and Ask Again

by Gort



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: 0-8-4s, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Episode: s02e05 A Hen in the Wolf House, F/M, Inconvenient Crushes, Time isn't Fixed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-01
Updated: 2018-12-01
Packaged: 2019-09-05 01:30:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16800991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gort/pseuds/Gort
Summary: S2, Ep. 5 AU. Daisy’s happy to have everyone safe on the base again, even if they bring mysterious Hydra artifacts with them. Now, if she could just get over her pesky crush on Trip, things might finally get back to normal. Or not.Beta'd by sunalso!





	Concentrate and Ask Again

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sinceresapphire](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sinceresapphire/gifts).



> For the AoS Rarepair Exchange 2018!

Skye leaned against the far wall and crossed her arms, watching Trip talk to May and Coulson while Hunter argued with the new agent who, if she had to put money on it, was his infamous ex. Skye had overheard Jemma call the new agent Bobbi, followed by a really enthusiastic endorsement about how awesome she was that had left Skye feeling more left out than before the new arrival.

That was nothing compared to how her stomach was churning now. Maybe she wasn’t exactly sure how she felt about Trip, but one thing she did know was that watching him check out Bobbi-with-legs-for-days made her a little nauseous. 

Fine. So, maybe she wasn’t entirely clueless about how she felt about Trip, but even though SHIELD wasn’t technically a government agency anymore he was still a fellow agent and combining that with her disastrous dating history had the frightening potential to go from bad to worst idea ever really fast.

Exhibit A: Ward.

Skye watched Hunter stomp off to sulk and mentally marked that down as Exhibit B. Working with your ex after you broke it off, even if they didn’t go totally psycho, had to be a drag. Down the hall in the lab, Fitz and Simmons were probably having the most awkward reunion on the planet. It wasn’t like Skye couldn’t guess what had happened when they were stuck at the bottom of the ocean. Fitz was crankier than he’d ever been, and Jemma had even cut all her hair off. Classic breakup move.

Strike three, Skye was totally out. No matter how funny and charming and kind Trip was—and the answer was _very_ , which made it completely unfair that he was also smoking hot—it wasn’t worth the risk.

Probably.

Skye sucked in a breath as Trip laughed, his entire face lighting up, and a trickle of happiness and regret slid down her spine. Dammit. She really needed to get out of the Playground. Maybe Coulson had another undercover mission he needed someone for. She was sick of trying to figure out the stupid map that led to nowhere, and tired of feeling like everyone was keeping secrets except her.

“I did get one more thing,” Bobbi said, addressing Coulson. “Besides the hard drive.”

Skye edged a little closer and Trip caught her eye, his lips turning up in a smile. He tilted his head in Bobbi’s direction questioningly and Skye shrugged, telling him she hadn’t made up her mind what to think about the new person just yet. His smile got wider and he reached out, snagging her wrist and tugging her until she was standing next to him. He brushed a hand down her back, the touch barely there, and it took all her willpower not to lean into it.

“That you took from Hydra?” Coulson asked.

Right, they were still talking about Hydra stuff. Like always.

“It’s something Bakshi was interested in, a rock he kept in his office. He said it was a factor in a bunch of decisions Hydra made way back when.”

“Like an evil magic eight ball?” Skye said before she could stop herself. Trip stifled a laugh beside her.

Bobbi smiled. “Reply hazy, torture again,” she said, and Skye smiled back. Okay, maybe she was starting to get why Jemma had been raving about the new person.

“Agent Morse,” Coulson said.

“Right, so, Bakshi seemed to mostly use it as a paperweight. I don’t think they knew how to use it, if it even is anything.”

“Where is it now?”

“I gave it to Jemma, seemed like it was something she might be able to crack.”

“Along with Fitz,” Coulson mused. Skye made a skeptical face that he must have caught. “Maybe I should go check on them, let them know it’s a priority.”

“Phil,” May sighed. “Leave them be.”

“I’ll check on them,” Skye volunteered. Trip poked her side and she retaliated with an elbow.

“I feel like I’m missing something,” Bobbi said.

May narrowed her eyes as Skye opened her mouth and Skye closed it hastily. 

“Great work, team,” Coulson said cheerfully, heading for the door. “Keep it up.” May strode out after him, grumbling under her breath, and Skye and Trip looked at each other, then Bobbi.

“So, lab?” Bobbi said.

“Let’s go.” Skye beelined for the door with Trip and Bobbi close behind. She led them the long way around to the lab’s side entrance but, as they all came to an abrupt halt just inside the door, it was pretty clear she shouldn’t have bothered to try and be sneaky.

“I’ll take a look,” Fitz mumbled as Coulson peered at whatever was in his hand. May had one hip propped against the counter, her arms crossed and her expression carefully blank. Hunter was lounging in a chair nearby and watching everyone with a faint frown. Dammit, she hated arriving last.

“I’d like to help,” Jemma said, sidling a bit closer to Coulson and Fitz. “After all, I was-”

“Yes, Simmons, but I can…” Fitz paused, scowling, as he searched for a word, and Skye began to move forward only to be stopped by Trip’s hand on her shoulder. He shook his head and she leaned against his side for a moment, taking a deep breath.

“Fitz, please,” Jemma said, sounding exasperated. “Let me-”

“Help?” Fitz asked, his scowl deepening.

Jemma stepped back, her face falling, and Skye winced. Wow, the reunion must have gone even worse than she’d thought.

“Excellent,” Coulson said. “Between the two of you, I’m sure we’ll figure it out in no time.” He nudged Jemma toward the desk as May rolled her eyes behind him.

Fitz’s head jerked up and Jemma nervously eyed him and whatever he was holding. “If you’ll just let me catalog the-” She reached for the object at the same time Fitz heaved a sigh and began to hand it over. The next thing Skye saw was a bright blue flash.

That was never good.

Blinking rapidly, Skye reached up to grasp Trip’s hand, confirming he was still next to her as she waited for her vision to clear. “You with me, girl?” he said, his voice strained.

“I’m here,” she said. “But I can’t…” Panic began to well up in her chest as the world came into focus. They weren’t in the lab. She looked around for anything she might recognize but there was nothing but giant stone walls all around them. Mentally, she upgraded ‘never good’ to ‘really, really bad’. “Where is everyone? Where are we?”

“Uh,” Trip said. “No clue about the first question and you’re not going to like the answer to the second.” 

Skye’s head snapped forward and she gasped, clutching Trip’s hand a little tighter as she watched versions of themselves turn to stone. Her double’s mouth was moving, but there was no sound, not even as rocks began to fall from the ceiling. It was the worst silent movie ever. A moment later, the scene blinked out, and they were on the Bus.

“You saw that, right?” Trip asked.

“Yeah,” Skye said, trying to calm her pounding heart. At least this place was familiar. Maybe she could do some sleuthing to try and figure out what—her hand went through the keyboard. “What the hell!” She lifted her hand, flexing it, but it looked reassuringly solid.

A moment later, another her walked into the room, followed closely by another Trip. Okay, this was starting to get annoying. What was this, Hydra’s messed up version of _It’s a Wonderful Life_?

“Any ideas?” Trip said as they watched themselves silently chat over the table interface.

Skye’s eyes widened as the other Trip pulled the other Skye into a hug before lowering his head and…oh holy crap. She forgot how to breathe for a second as she watched them kiss, her counterpart’s hand sliding around the back of Trip’s neck to hold him close. It sure looked like they were enjoying themselves.

“Um, not memories?” she managed to say as the Bus faded from sight. Her face was hot and her palm was sweaty, but there was no way in hell she was letting Trip go while they were on this weird tour of…whatever it was.

“Yeah, I’d definitely remember that,” Trip said. Skye risked a peek at him, but he was just staring at where the other versions of themselves had been, his eyes wide.

“We’ve got to wake up or get back to the Playground or…” Skye trailed off as a familiar hallway appeared around them. “Oh, thank god, we’re back.”

“Uh,” Trip said as another version of themselves stumbled around a corner up ahead. Skye had never thought of Trip as being uncoordinated before, but then, their faces weren’t usually glued together like that when they were working. Because he was a fellow agent and a friend, and she really shouldn’t be wishing she could trade places with that other her, who had one arm wrapped around Trip’s shoulders while she unbuttoned his shirt. “I don’t think we’re back,” Trip said.

His voice sent a shiver of need through her and Skye opened her mouth to reply when other-Trip pinned other-her against a wall and lifted her up so she could wrap her legs around his waist. “Nope!” she squeaked. Did this stupid Hydra weapon just read minds and project every fantasy out there for people to see? Oh, crap, she hoped everyone else wasn’t watching this.

“Damn,” Trip said, watching their doppelgangers. “Too bad.”

Skye turned to look at him, her mouth dropping open, as the world dissolved again. She braced herself for more embarrassing scenes from her Id only to be greeted with the faces of the rest of the team, looking just as confused as she was.

They were back in the lab. Skye hastily released Trip’s hand and crossed her arms, feeling her face flame. “Um, look,” she began.

“Was that San Juan?” Bobbi asked, sounding perplexed.

“ _That’s_ the first thing you ask?” Hunter replied, his eyes wide. “Because let me tell you, I have several questions about-”

“You were never with me in San Juan,” Bobbi cut in.

Hunter’s brow furrowed. “No.”

Skye stared at them, perplexed. Okay, so maybe everyone hadn’t seen her making out with Trip. Thank god. Jemma had her hands tucked under her chin and was staring at Fitz, who was staring at his desk. Huh, they also didn’t seem like they were interested in teasing her about her embarrassingly obvious crush.

Maybe…

“Did everyone see that?” Coulson asked, his eyes bright. Skye froze.

May was rubbing one temple. “See what?”

“The writing, it’s not…Skye, you were right, it is a map. I think it’s a city.”

Trip held up a hand. “Does someone want to take a crack at explaining what the hell just happened?”

Jemma slowly lowered her arms and wrapped them around herself, her eyes darting to Fitz. “I think…perhaps some versions of the future?”

Fitz’s head jerked up. “You think…really?”

“What do you mean, ‘some versions’?” Skye asked.

Jemma frowned. “Well, I…first, did everyone see themselves?” Everyone nodded in unison, which seemed to perk Jemma up. “Fascinating! Now, I know time is supposedly fixed, but-”

“Time is definitely fixed,” Fitz interjected.

Jemma gave him a smile that had Skye’s eyebrows shooting up. She was so going to have to drag out of Jemma what she’d seen later. “But some of the things we saw seemed contradictory.” Jemma pointed at the innocent-looking stone on Fitz’s desk. “I think perhaps, if our intel is right, it might show the diverging paths based on a decision.”

An image of Trip and herself turning to stone flashed through Skye’s mind as the air left her lungs. “So, it’s not the future, exactly, but possible futures?” she asked.

“I think so?” Jemma hedged.

“That’s interesting,” Trip murmured, his eyes half-mast as he glanced over. Skye was pretty sure her face was going to be permanently red if he didn’t stop looking at her like that.

“I wonder if we all saw the same futures,” Jemma mused. “Sir, you said the map was a city, and Bobbi, you saw yourself and Hunter in San Juan?” Jemma asked. Bobbi nodded. “Anything else you can remember?”

Bobbi opened her mouth, glanced at Hunter, and closed it again. “I have a contact down there. In the…vision or whatever you want to call it, he was meeting with Hydra agents.”

“Oh, this could be very helpful,” Jemma said, clasping her hands together. 

“We’ll leave you all to it, then,” Hunter announced, sliding off the counter. “Bob, a word?” Bobbi bit her lip and nodded before slipping out the door after him.

“We need to lock that up,” May said, nodding at the inert stone on Fitz’s desk. “Until we figure out what triggered it and why.” She glanced at Coulson. “And we’ll take a closer look at San Juan.”

“Do you need my help?” Skye asked hopefully. She could feel Trip still watching her.

“Maybe later,” May said. Jemma had carefully transferred the rock to a small case and May took it before leaving with Coulson.

“Well,” Jemma said brightly. “How about you, Skye, anything to add to the mystery?” Fitz was watching Jemma with his chin propped on his hand, and he was actually smiling. Skye hadn’t seen him look that happy in months. It was a little too weird on top of the days already over the top weirdness.

“Uh, nope!” Skye backed towards the door. “It’s all kind of…fuzzy.” She gestured at her own head. “So, I’m going to go…do something. See you guys.” She pushed through the door of the lab and leaned against the wall just outside of it, gratefully gulping down lungfuls of air and trying to center herself.

Everything was going to be fine, all she had to do was act normal around Trip. It wasn’t like that thing predicted the future, it just showed maybe-futures, so there was no reason to let her crush get out of hand. No big deal, she could handle this. She was totally cool with everything staying just the way it was.

“Hey,” Trip said, making her jump.

“How long have you been standing there?” Skye gasped, putting a hand to her chest.

“We gonna talk about this?”

“A possible mission to San Juan?” Skye said. Oh boy, she’d really been hoping they were on the same page with the pretend-this-never-happened deal.

“Should I be insulted that I’m not that memorable?” Trip gave her a smile that told her he was teasing.

Skye let out a sigh, her shoulders slumping. “Look, I’m sorry, I never meant to drag you into…whatever that was.”

“Didn’t look like dragging,” Trip murmured, bracing one hand against the wall beside her head. “And personally, whatever that first version of the future was, it looked like something we’d rather avoid.”

Skye jerked her head back and stared at him. “Are you hitting on me so we don’t die?” she hissed.

Trip dropped his arm and took a step back, looking insulted. “What? No! That’s…” He shook his head and gave her a rueful smile. “I just figured that was the version where it took me too long to get off my ass and do something about it.”

Skye blinked at him. “Do something about it?” she repeated blankly. “About what?”

“Uh, us?” he said, sounding more uncertain than she’d ever heard. He tilted his head and watched her carefully while she tried to sort through all the emotions racing through her head. If she risked this, she could lose him, but if she didn’t…she could lose him without ever knowing what they could have been.

“Oh,” Skye said. “Us.” Now her pulse was racing for an entirely different reason.

Trip didn’t move, seemingly waiting for something, and Skye pushed herself away from the wall and reached out, settling a hand on his chest. “Okay?” he asked, covering her hand with his own.

“Just making sure you’re real.”

His smile was so bright it took her breath away. “Want to check the rest?”

Skye let out a laugh and let him pull her close. He tipped her chin up and gazed down at her, the softness in his eyes almost overwhelming. “Maybe later,” she whispered.

Trip lowered his head, gently brushing his lips against hers, and Skye drank in the feel of him pressed against her. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and nipped at his lower lip, impatient for more. Trip chuckled against her mouth and shuffled her back, pinning her against the wall and deepening the kiss as Skye sighed in satisfaction.

This might be the best idea she’d ever had.


End file.
